CLAIRE Anderson set up Tannco in 2017 when she realised her bedding was being stained with fake tan. She created a fitted sheet that covers both a duvet and pillow to solve the problem. Over the next few years she hopes the business will expand beyond the UK.
Name: Claire Anderson
Age: 30
Position: Founder
WHAT’S THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Tannco
WHERE IS IT BASED?
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I LOVE to self-tan and I was tired of changing my full bedding every time I tanned. I tried everything to stop mess, like putting talcum powder on my body and sleeping on towels. That’s how Tannco came about.
We’re a small company and we used our savings to start up. It’s a registered design in the UK and we’ve featured in salon and women’s magazines.
Growing up, I didn’t know I was going to set up my own business.
I have always been quite confident in jobs but I had never worked for myself. I’ve always been able and thought I’d try it. It has been received well.
Before this I was working in admin and also did nails in a salon. With the nail business I was working for myself but this is completely different and exciting.
It gave me a lease of life and spurs me on to keep trying – it’s more interesting than working for someone else.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
ANYONE who loves to tan but hates changing their sheets. It’s specific to people who use fake tan and they understand why it’s needed. You pop it over your pillow and people say it makes tanning easier and stops the dread of turning over in bed.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
NO-ONE is offering the kind of solution that protects the pillow and duvet. There are onesies but nothing in the UK that has a sleep liner and protects your bedding from tan.
It has a pouch that you can slide your own pillow into and it folds over the top of the duvet so you can relax and you’re not stuck in a sleeping bag. It’s different.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
WORKING for myself. It’s not like a regular nine to five with a schedule. You work all day every day and are still doing work at 11pm. We work Monday to Sunday but it’s more enjoyable because it’s your own business so it doesn’t feel like work.
It’s easier to do your own thing. It’s just me and my partner Dawn, who was also sick of the fake tan situation. He does the background stuff and I do the social media
Dawn worked as a personal trainer before this so he had worked for himself before and has a some experience of running a business.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
IT’S my passion and I love to receive positive feedback, that’s a buzz. It’s great when other people enjoy it as well as you. It makes me really happy.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
IT’S good because the UK is in the top five countries in the world that use the most self-tan. People are more self-conscious here, most have stopped using sunbeds and the climate isn’t the best.
We are still a small company and we’re new to people so we might seek investment later on as we keep building and expanding.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS?
WE want to keep growing and expanding and provide more unusual tanning products that aren’t already on the market. I would like to expand to Europe or maybe America. We sell via Instagram and Facebook and have free shipping throughout the UK where we are selling well. We’ve even had an order from New Zealand.
We would love to have a bigger team with more specialised people instead of having to do it all ourselves.
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We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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